Coronavirus: Meaters of Marlborough closes as retail butchers grapple 'grey area'

Wednesday, 25 March 2020

Meaters of Marlborough owner Mike Newman has decided to close his retail butcher during the lockdown period.

A Marlborough butcher has made the call to close during the coronavirus lockdown as butchers grapple with 'very grey' areas over whether they are an essential service.

Meaters of Marlborough owner Mike Newman told Stuff he had been given the green light to continue on Tuesday, but after hearing a radio update on Wednesday morning, he was no longer sure that was the case.

Meaters of Marlborough will close their doors for lockdown at 6pm on Wednesday.

Newman said there had been a 'bit of resistance' from some butchers around the country and he had been asked whether he wanted to fight the directive, but he had made the decision to close their retail business.

'This thing is bigger than we are,' Newman said.

Meaters of Marlborough will continue to operate the 'essential' side of the business by supplying meat to rest homes.

Customers lining up outside butcher Meaters of Marlborough on Tuesday as only five people were allowed in the shop at one time.

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'My staff have just done an incredible job, but there is anxiety creeping in, there is worry and I just feel that I do not want to be responsible for this dam thing to carry on.

'We have to do it.'

Newman said he had 'tears' in his eyes as he made the call on Wednesday morning.

They would continue to supply meat to rest homes and companies which were catering to winery workers, which meant they would operate one morning a week, he said.

This comes as the body representing the retail meat industry seeks 'urgent clarification' from the government about whether independent butcher stores are essential services.

A spokeswoman for Retail Meat New Zealand said there was 'significant confusion' among members who wanted to do the best thing to help fight the spread of coronavirus, whilst ensuring communities were fed.

The Covid-19 government website said essential services included any entity involved in the supply, delivery, distribution and sale of food, beverage and other key consumer goods essential for maintaining the wellbeing of people.

But on the Newstalk ZB talk show on Wednesday morning, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment deputy chief executive Paul Stocks said butchers and produce stores would not be considered an essential service.

Newman said there had been 500 people coming through the shop a day. While he wanted to stay open to support their customers, closing made sense to curb public transmission of the virus.

'Now I realise just how important this is. It's got to be done. I'm just very touched by the way all our customers have approached this whole thing.

'My staff have been incredible. It's been very moving how we've handled this and the messages of support coming to us today for what we're doing makes us feel as happy as you can be about it.'